1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drum tuning device. More precisely, the present invention relates to a pneumatic, annular bladder positioned adjacent a drum head wherein inflation or deflation of the bladder increases or decreases tension on the drum head thereby tuning the drum.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information
In a conventional percussion instrument such as a snare drum, bass drum, or tom tom, the drum is made from a hollow, tube-shape shell with openings at opposite ends. Each opening is covered by a drum head made from a thin film, which drum head is retained against the rim of the hollow tube shell by a hoop. Actually, the drum head has a relatively rigid circumferential lip which extends over the rim of the shell, and the hoop has a surface which pushes down on the lip. The hoop is secured in place and has its tension adjusted by a plurality of tension rods evenly spaced around the hoop that thread into lugs attached to the outside of the shell.
By advancing the threaded tension rods into the lugs, the hoop is pulled down against the lip of the drum head, thereby stretching the drum head. This action raises the pitch of the drum. Backing off the tension rods reduces the tension in the drum head and correspondingly lowers the pitch of the drum.
One problem with tuning a conventional drum head is that each tension rod must be individually adjusted. This is a time consuming process because it involves tapping the drum head near the tension rod to hear the sound generated in that area as compared to the areas adjacent the other tension rods. The drummer must then continually tap, and then tighten or loosen each tension rod in order to obtain a consistent sound throughout the entire head. Moreover, if the drum has two heads, the bottom head must be tuned before the top head because once the drum is locked down on the drum kit hardware, access to the bottom drum head is severely limited.
There have been developments in the concept of quick-tuning drums. One outgrowth of that concept is a roto-tom. This type of instrument usually has only one drum head held against an abbreviated length shell by a hoop, which hoop pulls the head tightly against the shell. Unique to this design are the tension rods spaced around the hoop, because when the entire drum is rotated, the tension rods collectively tighten thereby uniformly pressuring the drum head against the shell. As a result, rotating the drum in one direction tightens the drum head and counter-rotating the drum head decreases the head tension.
Another method of quickly changing the pitch of drums is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,680 to Carnes et al. Carnes discloses an apparatus for changing the pitch of a drum by conducting pressurized gas into the interior of the drum. Thus, when the drum is pressurized, the pitch is raised; lowering the gas pressure lowers the pitch.
There have been other attempts at using air to affect the pitch of a drum. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,096 to Sloan discloses a pneumatic drum head tightener. Sloan uses an annular vellum, inflated with air, that is stretched around the circumference of the drum and acts somewhat as a shock absorber. Specifically, the device enhances the bounce, tonal production, sound volume, and response of the heads through disassociation of the heads from the drum shell, and through the transmission of vibrations of the drum head to the resonant interiors of hollow members within the shell.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,913 to Severino discloses an inflated tube that is incorporated into the outside shell of a drum in order to facilitate easy replacement of the drum head. When the captive tube is inflated, it pulls down a collar which acts on the drum head to tighten or loosen the same. This device, however, requires specialized and complicated hardware in order for the inflatable tube to operate properly.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a drum tuning device which is easy and quick to use, which provides uniform tuning around the perimeter of the drum head, and which does not require complicated hardware external to the drum. The device should be easily adapted for use on any conventional drum and should not be obtrusive so that it does not interfere with the freedom of movement of the drummer during play.